Shane Watson must bowl in training to make Australia XI for third Test against South Africa

Updated
Thu 27 Feb 2014, 9:31 AM AEDT

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Shane Watson concedes he cannot make the Test XI as a specialist batsman.

Getty Images: Chris Hyde

Australian all-rounder Shane Watson will be cleared to play in the third and final Test against South Africa, but only if he is able to bowl at training tonight.

Watson has missed the first two Tests with a calf injury, watching from the sidelines as Australia took a 1-0 series lead with a Mitchell Johnson-inspired win in Centurion, before his side crashed back down to earth in Port Elizabeth.

The all-rounder has seen his number three berth in the batting line-up taken by Alex Doolan, who did make 89 in the second innings of the first Test, while Shaun Marsh cracked a big ton in Centurion batting at number four.

But with questions hovering over the Australian line-up after making mediocre scores in both Port Elizabeth innings - including the final day four session which saw nine wickets fall and South Africa win by 231 runs - Watson shapes up as a likely candidate for a Test recall.

Watson says he is desperate to play in the series decider starting in Cape Town on Saturday, but admits he cannot make the team only as a specialist batsman.

"It's going to be interesting to see how things pan out with the selection side of things," he said.

Hopefully I can get an opportunity and give us an opportunity to beat the number one team in the world.

Shane Watson

"It's been a pretty amazing couple of Test matches, to see where we went in the first Test match to how things turned around in the second Test.

"But you always expect that from the South Africans.

"It will be interesting to see what happens. Hopefully I can get an opportunity and give us an opportunity to beat the number one team in the world."